2024 FRATERNITY REPORT
Fraternity Report: Doors Open
An increased effort on public awareness is paying off for California lodges.
Download the Masons of California 2024 Fraternity Report here, or view individual stories through the links below.
By now he should expect it, but each Thursday, when lodge master Frank Barbano opens the doors to Elysian № 418 for its regular dinner get-togethers, he’s blown away all over again by the scrum of people waiting to get inside.
Over the past year, Elysian № 418, in Los Feliz, fashioned itself into the buzzing center of Masonry in California. As a result, its meetings swelled with not just existing members but, increasingly, would-be Masons eager to get a taste of what the fraternity is all about. As a lodge of just 153 people, Elysian nonetheless initiated 19 new members in 2024. Another dozen filed their applications for degrees, and a further 30 prospects are now preparing to do so.
More than most, Elysian № 418 reaped the benefits of a concerted effort on the part of the state fraternity to increase public awareness of Freemasonry. That was seen in recurring social media campaigns, an increase in press mentions, and a greater focus on public events. Crucially, the lodge made the most out of the resultant surge of interest. It was one of the first to assign a prospect manager to handle incoming requests, established a committee to pair mentors with lodge newcomers, and made a point of hosting frequent social gatherings. Hence the weekly dinners, where at least 50 people—including many prospects—come together to eat, hear a lecture, and get to know one another.
At Elysian and elsewhere, those efforts are starting to pay off. Since 2022, when the Grand Lodge launched its first social media campaign, it has added more than 13,000 new prospects—nearly all of whom came through its online portal. Of those, approximately 80 percent were referred to a California lodge, and thus far about 10 percent have become Masons here. As a result, our lodges have also seen their greatest upswing in applications in a decade (nearly 3,000 since 2022–23).
The lesson is clear: Interest in Freemasonry remains high. Now it’s just a matter of capitalizing on it.
Part of the Plan
Increasing public awareness was one of the central pillars of the organization’s 2025 Fraternity Plan. On that front, it made some incredible strides.
Consider: The annual #ImAMason social media challenge, asking Masons to describe what they value about their membership, reached 8.9 million people in 2024—up from six million the year prior and 2.8 million in its first year. And over the three-year summer awareness campaign’s run, it generated more than 50,000 clicks from those interested in learning more about the fraternity. Meanwhile, press releases for Masonic events were picked up by several news outlets, reaching a combined potential audience of more than 50 million.
And in a true sign of the times, the Masons of California even started a TikTok channel! Since launching in May 2024, it has gained more than 6,000 followers. As one of the few Masonic grand lodges on the platform, the page has already become one of the most trustworthy (and entertaining) authorities on Freemasonry in the space.
Those weren’t the only aims of the fraternity plan, however. Supporting members and removing barriers to participation were equally important goals. To that end, the organization unveiled a series of programs to increase member retention. The member restoration program, introduced in 2019, has returned more than 6,000 Masons to good standing, while an automatic dues-payment system, which rolled out in 2024, has already seen some 600 members sign up. Further, more than 200 lodges have opted into a centralized dues-payment service through which the Grand Lodge bills members directly. Other, related efforts include an option to pre-pay next year’s dues, a partial-dues-remission program, and online payments.
The results have been encouraging: Over the past fiscal year, suspensions for non-payment fell to 915, one-third lower than they were just two years ago.
Another goal of the 2025 Fraternity Plan was to provide members and prospects with more options for finding a lodge that fits their needs. Over the past year, an incredible six new lodges received their charter, including the state’s second-ever affinity lodge, Wayfarer’s № 889, a group organized around outdoor activities. Over the past decade, 37 new lodges were constituted through this program—that’s 12 percent of all California lodges. Whether it’s an intimate lodge in a big city (à la Seven Hills № 881 in San Francisco), a group catering to an ethnic or linguistic subculture (such as La France № 885, Pilares del Rey Salomon № 886, or Kapayapaan at Pagkakaisa № 888), or something a little more out-there (like Royal Street № 890, which organizes trips to Disneyland), there’s surely a lodge for everyone.
Branding Freemasonry
Another exciting development is a branding study commissioned by the Grand Lodge aimed at better communicating the aims of Freemasonry to the public. As the first phase in this effort, the Grand Lodge developed a manifesto that will help guide its future communications and strategies:
Masons are builders. Where once we built magnificent structures, today we build character. Steeped in tradition and ritual, our values are based on a bedrock of friendship and philanthropy. We believe that harmony between diverse individuals is a powerful force for good. And just as ancient stonemasons perfected their craft, we employ timeless lessons that create meaningful change in ourselves, stronger communities around us, and a better world for all.
Sound familiar? For most Masons, it should. By continuing to hone our messaging for the general public, the Masons of California will be in a better position to increase awareness and positive sentiment—and ultimately strengthen membership, the backbone of our organization.
That so much organizational weight rests on such a simple premise may be counterintuitive. But for Masons like Barbano, it makes perfect sense. After all, the essential truths of Freemasonry have changed little over 300 years. “Everybody wants to belong to something that’s fun and exciting and where you can grow as a person,” he says. “And when you find it, you get a huge result.”
Read More From the 2024 Fraternity Report
Lodge Spotlight: We Are Family
The name of the newly formed Kapayapaan at Pagkakaisa Lodge № 888, in San Diego, translates to “peace and unity” in Tagalog, the native language of many of its Filipino members. To its founders, the name also connoted Masonic values like harmony, camaraderie, and reconciliation. In other words, family.
That’s very much intentional: Lodge leaders have worked hard to instill a deep sense of family in the group’s dynamic. That extends to lodge events and social outings, which often involve members’ partners and children. When they’re together, the group proudly sport green hats, ties, and other lodge-branded gear. Having a shared sense of purpose, along with a shared heritage, has given them a special double bond.
Since the lodge’s constitution in November, it has also made a point of putting philanthropy at the heart of its mission. Already, KAP (as members call it) has initiated fundraisers for the Masonic Homes and Masonic Outreach Services and is beginning a new partnership with the Father Joe’s Village homeless nonprofit to volunteer monthly at its pantry.
